Writing game planchette



April 15, 1952 J. .1. BATCHA WRITING GAME PLANCHETTE Filed March 20, 1950 Patented Apr. 15, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WRITING GAME PLAN CHETTE John J. Batcha, Detroit, Mich.

Application March 20, 1950, Serial N 0. 150,664

4 Claims. (01. 273-161) This invention relates generally to amusement devices, and refers more particularly to an improved construction of planchette of the type employed in writing games.

Planchettes are usually supported at three points by suitable legs for sliding movement over a writing board or paper, and it is an object of this invention to provide a stylus or writing instrument as one of the supporting legs.

It is another object of this invention to provide a relatively simple, readily operable clamp for firmly holding the writing instrument in place, and at the same time permitting the instrument to be adjusted relative to the planchette or replaced when required.

The foregoing as well as other objects will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an amusement device embodying the features of this invention;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 i an enlarged sectional view taken on theline 4-4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary bottom plan view partly in section of the stylus holding means.

The amusement device forming the subject matter of this invention comprises a planchette having a heart-shaped hand engaging support It) formed of any suitable material such, for example; as wood, and supported in an elevated position at three points by feet H. Two of the feet I2 are fastened to the rear of the planchette in a common vertical plane, and the third foot I3 is supported at the front or tip of the heartshaped support between the feet It, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. The feet H cooperate to support the planchette in a horizontal plane. and are of a nature to slide over a writing board or paper not shown.

The foot I3 is in the form of a stylus or writing instrument, such for example, as a conventional pencil supported with the writing end at the bottom in a position to engage the writing board or paper. The writing instrument [3 is adjustable vertically relative to the planchette, and is also detachable from the planchette to permit replacement. In the present instance a channelshaped bracket I5 is secured to the underside of the planchette at the tip or front end of the latter with the channel opening upwardly and 2 having an opening l6 through the base I! aligned with an opening 18 in the planchette.

Seated within the channel is a clamping disc [9 having an opening 20 registerable with the aligned openings l6 and I8 to freely receive the instrument l3. The side flanges 2| of the channel-shaped bracket 15 are curved to provide a bearing for the peripheral surface of the disc l9, and the opening 20 through said disc is eccentrically positioned with respect to the periphery of the disc. The arrangement is such that the opening 20 in the disc I9 is in alignment with the openings l6 and I8 in one rotative position of the disc l9 to freely receive the instrument [3, and is eccentrically disposed to the openings IE and I8 in a second rotative position of the disc I9 to clamp the instrument 13 in place. The width of the bracket I5 is sufiiciently less than the diameter of the disc I9 to permit opposite side portions of the disc to project beyond the bracket so that it may be readily manipulated by the user.

In use the device is supported in the position shown in Figure 1 of the drawing on a writing board or sheet of paper and the fingers of one or more persons are lightly pressed against the top surface of the planchette. The device is free to nove over the writing surface and upon such movement the instrument l3 produces marks on the writing surface.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An amusement device comprising a planchette having an opening therethrough, a supporting part secured to the underside of the planchette and having a portion spaced. below the planchette, an opening through said portion in alignment with the opening in the planchette, a rotatable disc member positioned between the underside of the planchette and the portion aforesaid of the supporting part and having an opening therethrough registering with the openings in the planchette and supporting part, a writing instrument extending freely through said openings, and means on the supporting part for guiding rotation of the member about an axis offset laterally with respect to the axis of the aligned openings in the planchette and supporting part for clamping the writing instrument to the planchette.

2. The amusement device set forth in claim 1 in which the writing instrument constitutes one of the supports for the planchette.

3. An amusement device comprising a planchette having support engaging legs and having an opening therethrough spaced from the less.

a channel-shaped bracket secured to the underside of the planchette opposite the opening with the channel opening upwardly and having an opening through the base portion aligned with the opening in the planchette, a rotatable disc seated in the channel and having an opening therethrough registerable with the aligned openings, a writing instrument extending through said openings, said bracket having the flanges of the channel curved about a common axis ofiset laterally with respect to the aligned axes of the openings in the planchette and base of the channel and providing a bearing for rotatably supporting the disc whereby rotation of the disc in opposite directions relative to the bracket respectively clamps the writing instrument to and releases the same from the planchette. 7

4. An amusement device comprising a planchette having support engaging legs and having an opening therethrough spaced from the legs, a channel shaped bracket secured to the underside of the planchette opposite the opening with the channel opening upwardly 'and having an opening through the base portion aligned with receiving the writing instrument, the opening through the disc being eccentrically located with respect to the aligned axes of the openings in the planchette and base of the channel'for shifting the writing instrument laterally against one side of the last named openings upon rotation of the disc in one direction.

' JOHN J. BATCHA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS inn. \i 

